The “May Revise” and California

Commentary: The “May Revise” and California’s November elections

Now that Gov. Brown has issued the “May Revise” – his updated budget proposals for 2012-13 – the struggle is ratcheting up to win a California budget that upholds working people’s needs while addressing a yawning budget gap. This gap results from the refusal of the Republican legislative minority to vote for any revenue increase as well as from lowered tax receipts due to the economic crisis.

The governor proposes to add new cuts to the sad history of repeated slashing of social programs in recent years. His budget would further drive down state funds for health care, welfare, support to help disabled and old people stay in their homes, and many other human needs programs. These programs are needed more than ever, with California’s continuing high unemployment, now at 11 percent.

Even these projections depend on passage of a ballot initiative in November, that will temporarily increase income taxes for those making more than $250,000/year, and hike sales taxes a quarter percent. If the ballot measure fails, a new round of cuts will hit education, especially K-14 education, hard.

• Tell your state legislators: we need you to fight for funds for human needs.

• In this year’s elections, let’s work hard to break the Republican stranglehold on the legislature – and on the U.S. House of Representatives. Work to elect national, state and local elected officials who will fight for economic and social justice for all people in our country!

• See link to People’s World story on the new California budget projections.